Manifesto Against Mediocrity Written and Presented by Dr. Matthew Weathers March 13, 2024 - Bob Jones University Chapel [View here] I have a hope for you today. A hope that you will rise above the downward pull of mediocrity. A hope that you will rebel against the cultural norm of pursuing comfort and strive to pursue Christ. A hope that your love for the gospel will eclipse your love for the praise of men. A hope that you will have a broken heart for our broken world and have the courage to do something about it rather than look the other way. This is a manifesto against mediocrity.
Men, I have a hope that each of you will develop a backbone instead of a wishbone. A hope that you will treat these ladies like sisters in Christ rather than objects to exploit. A hope that you will not become a lazy man sitting in a La-Z-boy with the remote in one hand and Doritos in the other, but that you will train to be strong and tender warriors wielding the sword of truth against the encroaching darkness of the enemy. A hope that you are humbly preparing to lead yourself and your family in a way that shapes the world rather than being shaped by the world. A hope that as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord. This is a manifesto against mediocrity. Ladies, I have a hope that each of you will develop a heart of faith rather than a heart of fear. A hope that your words will be full of grace rather than fraught with gossip. A hope that you will treat these men like brothers in Christ and pray for them. A hope that you will meditate on what is valuable rather than what is in Vogue. A hope that you will care more about the battle lines of eternity than tan lines for the summer. A hope that you are diligently preparing to lead yourself and support your family in a way that demonstrates strength and dignity. This is a manifesto against mediocrity. I have a hope that you all will strive to progress in wisdom and make decisions rooted in the Word. A hope that you will advance in stature and strengthen your body to serve others rather than indulge or idolize your body to serve yourself. A hope that you will advance in your love for God as you prioritize your relationship with Him. A hope that you will grow in your relationships with others as you impact them for God’s glory rather than manipulate them for selfish gain. A hope that you will pursue eulogy virtues more than resume virtues. A hope that you will have a growing desire to be confronted with uncomfortable truths that lead to life rather than being coddled with comfortable lies that lead to death. This is a manifesto against mediocrity. I have a hope that you will imitate Christ in your thoughts, words, and actions. A hope that today and for all your days, you will do the next right thing rather than the next easy thing because Christ is better than the fleeting pleasures of sin. A hope that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. A hope that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. A hope that you will join this manifesto against mediocrity and advance the cause of Christ with courage and conviction because your identity is in Christ. A hope that one day, on your final day – because you rejected mediocrity and embraced the Way, the Truth, and the Life, you will hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” This is a manifesto against mediocrity. So, who will you be and what will you do with your one wonderful and miraculous life that God has given to you to live for His glory and empowered by His grace?
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Luke 2:52 states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."
The purpose of the fourth post in this series is to explore what it means for Jesus to increase in favor with man. As I shared in the previous post, the word "increase" is the Greek word προκόπτω (prokoptō) which means to "progress" and/or "advance." Jesus progress and advanced (in His humanity) in the development of stature. The word carries a sense of striving as if to remove obstacles to obtain a goal or arrive at a destination. What does it mean for Jesus to progress and advance in favor with man? The word "favor" is the word χάρις (karis) and is commonly translated into English as "grace." The meaning is broader and in this context carries the idea of divine goodwill (as opposed to obligation). As a man, Jesus grew in His understanding of and relationship to other human beings. This is not meant to be mysterious or complicated. Jesus, as a human being, grew in his ability to relate to other human beings as He grew and developed. He had younger siblings. He had friends. He was a teenager. He worked as a carpenter and learned how to interact with customers and suppliers. His interacted with countless other human beings and grew in favor with them. How can we too progress in favor with man? How we can grow in our relationship with others? We can grow in our relationship with others by growing in grace χάρις (karis) in our own lives and developing increasing care for and affection for others. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Great Commandment (Mark 12) and loved God and loved others perfectly. We can follow Jesus' example by understanding how he related with others during his life on earth. He was kind. He was gracious. He was truth-telling. He was compassionate. He was everything Paul admonishes New Testament believers to be throughout his epistles. We can imitate Christ in that way as well as we week to relate to others. May we, like Jesus, increase in favor with man and thereby glorify the Father who is in heaven. On February 1 I posted an update to share progress for accomplishing goals during the month of January and to look forward to the month of February. This post on March 1 is meant to do the same thing.
Today is March 1. We are 1/6 of the way through 2024. I have been reflecting on the month of February and what I shared in my "Let's Go(al)! Looking Back and Forward" update on February 1. Here is a brief update as well as my specific goals for March. Yearly 252 Goals with Updates 1. Spiritual: Memorize the first two chapters of Philippians. Have read Philippians 1-2 every day this year and plan to read chapters 1-2 each day in March. 2. Physical: Complete a Half-Ironman in under 5 hours: Transitioned from establishing base miles (completed in January) to focusing on strength-training. I am registering for shorter races during the spring and summer to provide helpful milestones for training and benchmarks for progress. 3. Relational: Eat a one on one meal with each of my sons and my wife at least once a month. This has gone well and I look forward to continuing. Fleur gave birth to our third son (Sammy!) a few days ago so we will adjust as needed. 4. Intellectual: Write a reflection post here each week. This has gone well and I look forward to continuing. Update on February-specific goals:
I'm thankful for the progress in February! Here are the daily goals for March:
We will see how the month goes! Luke 2:52 states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."
The purpose of the third post in this series is to explore what it means for Jesus to increase in favor with God. As I shared in the previous post, the word "increase" is the Greek word προκόπτω (prokoptō) which means to "progress" and/or "advance." Jesus progress and advanced (in His humanity) in the development of stature. The word carries a sense of striving as if to remove obstacles to obtain a goal or arrive at a destination. What does it mean for Jesus to progress and advance in favor with God? Wasn't He fully God in human form? Yes. He was also fully man in human flesh and as He grew in wisdom and stature (discussed in the previous two posts) as a man, he also grew in favor with God. The word "favor" is the word χάρις (karis) and is commonly translated into English as "grace." The meaning is broader and in this context carries the idea of divine goodwill (as opposed to obligation). As one commentator writes, Jesus "continued to experience increasingly the lovingkindness of his Father." As a man, He grew in His understanding of and relationship to His heavenly Father. He learned the Torah and other Old Testament Scriptures and increased in His knowledge of God's Word. He communed with God in prayer. He saw the example of godly men and women around Him and came to know what it looks like for others to live to honor and glorify God. How can we likewise progress in favor with God? How we can grow in our relationship with God? We too can grow in our relationship with God by delighting in His Word (Psalm 1:2) and His created world (Psalm 111:2), through communing with God in prayer like Jesus (Luke 5:15-16), and by interacting with other believers (Heb. 10:24-25). We can grow in our χάρις (karis) and affection for God as we know and delight in Him more and more. May we, like Jesus, increase in favor with God; and in so doing, further reflect and glorify God with our lives as His Word increasingly lights our paths and gladdens our hearts. Luke 2:52 states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."
The purpose of the second post in this series is to explore what it means for Jesus to increase in stature. As I shared in the previous post, the word "increase" is the Greek word προκόπτω (prokoptō) which means to "progress" and/or "advance." Jesus progress and advanced (in His humanity) in the development of stature. The word carries a sense of striving as if to remove obstacles to obtain a goal or arrive at a destination. Second, the word "stature" is the Greek word ἡλικία (helikia) and in this context could mean to advance in "years," "maturity," and/or "physically." I have checked multiple commentaries to understand their interpretation, and there are various views. The most consistent view is that Jesus increased physically, which is to say his body grew and developed as a human being. As a human being, Jesus grew physically. He ate food, he ran around as a little kid, and his body developed. His stature increased. He certainly ate and drank to the glory of God, so we can learn from his example as we seek to progress in our own physical capacity and take care of our body. We too can progress and advance in our own stature. How can we increase in stature? How can we do all for the glory of God when it comes to eating and drinking? Tom Rath shares a helpful perspective in his book Eat. Move. Sleep. in which he offers an understandable approach to taking care of one's own body. He suffers from a rare physical condition that can be managed by proper lifestyle choices, so in the long run (like for all of us) what he does for and to his body is a matter of life and death. He writes: "Every bite of food either increases or decreases my odds of spending a few more years with my wife and two young children. Half an hour of exercise in the morning makes for better interactions all day. Then a sound night of sleep gives me energy to tackle the next day. I am a more active parent, a better spouse, and more engaged in my work when I eat, move, and sleep well." Further, in regards to habit formation for healthcare, he writes: "For your overall approach to eating, find foods with less fat, fewer carbohydrates, and as little added sugar as possible. Eating well does not need to be difficult or complicated. It is possible for healthy eating to be sustainable and even enjoyable. Set your sights on foods that are good for your near-term energy and long-term health. Making a commitment to eating the right foods every day is a lot easier than jumping from one diet to the next. Once you start eating better, give it time — a lot of time. People often bounce from diet to diet because they grow impatient. The body takes a long time to react to these dietary changes, usually a year or more, according to experts. Instead of worrying about losing 10 pounds in the next month, focus on better decisions the next time you eat. When you make better choices in the moment, it benefits your overall health and well-being." How can we take care of our bodies and increase in our stature and physical strength? Eat properly, exercise consistently, and sleep sufficiently. It's certainly easier said than done. Most of us know what to do to progress in our physical health and overall well-being. It's actually doing the hard work that is challenging. May we, like Jesus, strive in this area and advance in physical stature as we maintain a healthy lifestyle through intentional, God-honoring choices. Luke 2:52 states "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."
The purpose of this post is to briefly examine what it means for Jesus to increase in wisdom. Did Jesus lack any wisdom or knowledge? In His divinity, certainly not. He was fully God. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1). In His humanity, certainly yes. Jesus grew from an infant and learned all sorts of things. He learned how to walk, to speak, to interact with siblings, to eat his vegetables, and on and on. He displayed such astounding humility simply just to be a human and develop as a human (Phil. 1). So how did He increase in wisdom? First, the word "increase" is the Greek word προκόπτω (prokoptō) which means to "progress" and/or "advance." Jesus progress and advanced (in His humanity) in the development of wisdom. The word carries a sense of striving as if to remove obstacles to obtain a goal or arrive at a destination. Second, the word "wisdom" is σοφία (sophia) which is the broad term for "the varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience" (Strong's). Jesus progressed in His own intellectual development and the acquisition of human knowledge - and He did so by experience. He grew in this area of wisdom to live skillfully and fully. We too can progress and advance in our own sophia as we experience life and grow into maturity. We can learn from others, from books, and from experiences as we increase in this area of our own lives. May we follow the example of Jesus and advance as use newfound knowledge and wisdom to live skillfully and further honor and glorify God and use that wisdom to serve others as God gives strength. Today is February 1. We are 1/12 through 2024. I have been reflecting on the month of January and looking forward to the month of February in relation to my 2024 goals and the "January Reset" I attempted last month. Here is a brief update with a few observations and lessons learned along the way, as well as my goals for the month of February.
States Yearly 252 Goals with Updates 1. Spiritual: Memorize the first two chapters of Philippians. Read the book of Philippians every day in January and plan to read chapters 1-2 each day in February as I work to memorize chapters 1-2. 2. Physical: Complete a Half-Ironman in under 5 hours: Completed the Badwater Challenge (see below) to create a high-volume base of miles to train for the half-ironman distance this year. 3. Relational: Eat a one on one meal with each of my sons and my wife at least once a month. This has gone well and I look forward to continuing. 4. Intellectual: Write a reflection post here each week. This has gone well and I look forward to continuing. Here is what my "January Reset" entailed: Each Day in January:
At End of January:
Here is my plan to continue month-specific goals for February: Each Day in February:
At End of February:
I am building in some flexibility to this plan as Fleur is due with our third child (baby boy!) this month. We'll see how it goes. I'm thankful for the progress in January and am hopeful for continued momentum into February. Photo below: Finishing the Badwater Challenge on January 28 with a half-marathon in the early hours of the morning. One of my goals for January 2024 was to listen to the entire New Testament on the Dwell Bible app. Today is January 27, and on my 15 mile run this morning (on the way to reach a monthly fitness goal) I finished the New Testament. Just on today's run I listened to I & II Peter, I, II, & III John, Jude, and Revelation. I usually read through the Bible in a year where the pace is much slower, but going through the 27 books of the NT in one month has allowed me to make connections I otherwise may not have made. In no particular order, here are a few broad takeaways from my journey through the New Testament: 1. Jesus is remarkably patient. I was struck again and again at His patience with His disciples, with random strangers, and even with so many who questioned Him during His earthly ministry. I am thankful for His patience with me as well. Praise the Lord for His patience with His people. 2. The early church had its fair share of messiness. From conflicts over doctrine to disputes over what to eat and where to go, there was a lot of messiness. The church today also has its fair share of messiness, including the messiness of my own life and my own church. Believers in the early church and believers today are in the process of sanctification - and it is messy more often than we'd like to admit. Praise the Lord for His grace working in us. 3. I need to know what I believe and be ready to give an answer. This specific truth is from I Peter 3:15 - "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." I not only need to know what I believe and how to articulate my faith, but I need to be living a life that demonstrates I'm hoping in something or someone other than what an onlooking world might be hoping in. Christ is our only Hope in life and death. Praise the Lord for the hope He gives. 4. Jesus wins - and it's not even close. The book of Revelation is particularly spectacular. The account that John shares of the end times seem unfathomably horrifying, yet the culmination of the book is the indisputable defeat of Satan and the magnificent triumph of Jesus and the redemption of His people from every tribe and tongue. Praise the Lord for winning the victory and giving us the victory! A Mighty Fortress is our God Martin Luther A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper he, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe does seek to work us woe; his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing, were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing. You ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is he; Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same; and he must win the battle. And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him. That Word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth; the Spirit and the gifts are ours through him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill: God's truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever! Image from: https://www.thathappycertainty.com/app-review-dwell/
Wonders never cease. My seven-year old and I landed in Atlanta around 7:30AM on Thursday morning. We had a brief layover before boarding our 9:30AM flight to Orlando. When we landed at ATL I read update from family members traveling to the States after ministering in South Africa for several weeks. And would you believe it - Alex, Bethany, Joshua, and Caleb were traveling back through ATL at the exact same time Joni and I were on our brief layover.
I sent Bethany a FB message to check on their progress, and we realized if they made it through customs in good time we could actually connect. I told them what gate we would be waiting at to board our flight, and after they made it through customs (in record time!), boarded the plane train to ride to Concourse A, and took the escalator up - we were waiting for them! We all hung out for about 10 minutes before Joni and I boarded the flight to Orlando (and were some of the last people to board). It was so good to see them. I'm tremendously thankful for family pursuing God's call to minister in South Africa, and I'm thankful to God for His kindness in allowing us to connect for a few minutes at ATL. Joni and I made our way to Orlando (where I had the privilege to speak to a group of Korean students here for a month-long vision camp) and had a fantastic "dad and lad" trip. As I stated in the last post, I am seeking to be very diligent this month to kick-start the new year with a "January reset." Part of that effort includes reading the entire book of Philippians every day. I have been challenged and encouraged with Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, and one of the passages that has been both a challenge and encouragement is Philippians 4:4-5. Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand."
What challenges and encourages me as a believer is the proximity in the passage of the two words "rejoicing" and "reasonableness." Simply stated, it is reasonable for the Christian to rejoice. The word "reasonableness" in the Greek has a more robust meaning than just "logical" (see below for extended explanation), but the idea is for the believer to live in a way that publicly demonstrates a reasonable, gracious, forbearing posture; and "the way Christians stand out in a contentious environment is by being a voice of reason." The foundation for this gracious public posture and our reason for rejoicing in the Lord always is the gospel. Because of Who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we have ample cause for joy. It is reasonable to live in a way that demonstrates joy in the Lord that fuels a gracious, forbearing posture to the onlooking culture. Much more could be said in a much better way about this particular passage, but for me, at least, this observation has been a challenge and encouragement. Excerpt from "Reasonableness in an Age of Outrage" The apostle Paul commanded the early Christians to let their “reasonableness” be known by everyone (Phil. 4:5, ESV). The Greek word is notoriously hard to translate. The CSB goes with “graciousness.” The NIV chooses “gentleness.” Older translations lean toward “forbearance” or “moderation.” Each does its best to capture the original sense, which includes multiple shades of meaning—being considerate, responding in dispute with kindness, and adopting a gracious posture. In a list of qualifications for elders, 1 Timothy 3:3 employs the word as the opposite of being a bully. In James 3, it’s one of the descriptions of the wisdom that comes from above. The important takeaway from this command to show reasonableness-graciousness-forbearance is that Paul expects this virtue to be public. Contentiousness, quarreling, and bullying show up among divisive and cantankerous people. Paul doesn’t tell the Philippians to disengage from debate, but to go public with the opposite. Your reasonableness-graciousness-forbearance should be on display. The way Christians stand out in a contentious environment is by being a voice of reason, by spreading grace in a culture of judgment. Posture matters as much as principle. |